It’s not just the elderly, however, who are
using raised-bed gardens. Many time-pressed
city dwellers are also turning to homemade
and/or store-bought raised-bed systems to
grow everything from ;owers and herbs to
organic vegetables on balconies, decks, roof-tops and other small, sunny places in and
around the buildings where they live.

“;ere’s a whole generation of young peo-ple who have moved into the city from the sub-urbs and don’t have outdoor space,” says LarryHodgson, a gardening writer and journalist.

One big one is that excess water drainsout more easily from raised beds. “Thatmeans your garden is warmer and drier,which is great for growing,” says Hodgson, aCostco member who goes by the moniker“;e Lazy Gardener.”He adds that because raised beds aremostly made with enriched, fresh soil theyretain more moisture and fewer weeds thangardens with sandy or clay soil. And becausethey are higher than the surrounding ground,raised beds are also less likely to be a;ected byland-dwelling diseases and common gardenpests such as insects and rabbits.

Because raised beds are not designed for
people to walk on, their soil also remains free
from compaction. “;at makes it easier for
roots to grow and water to drain,” notes
Hodgson.

He also lauds the advent of small, mobile
raised beds that o;er gardeners the chance to
get an early start on the growing season. “If it’s
not too heavy you can start things indoors
and then move it outside once the warm
weather arrives,” he says.

Balzer adds that there’s no doubting the
practicality and popularity of elevated garden
beds. “You can always throw seeds in the
ground and grow ;owers and vegetables,” says
the Costco member. “But if you aren’t physically able to tend a regular garden, nothing
beats a raised bed.” C

Mark Cardwell is a brown-thumbed freelance
journalist and writer in the Quebec City area.

GARDENS ON THE RISE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

HERE ARE A few tips to improve your
chances of having a successful garden:

■ If you’re growing veggies, you
need lots of sun—and make sure to
stay away from tree roots. They will
invade your garden, take all the nutrients from the soil and dry it out, and
you will get nothing.

■ If you can, always use mulch.

Mulch helps to keep moisture in thesoil and keeps it from compacting, andreduces the number of weeds. And useorganic mulch. My favorite kind ischopped autumn leaves. They’re free,and they’re rich in all the minerals yourplants need. I steal bags of leaves fromthe curbside all the time. I’ve evendone it in my pajamas and slippers,because it’s becoming very competitiveout there. You can’t wait a minute tograb leaves.■ Don’t panic if your plants have afew spotted or chewed leaves. Younever get perfection in a garden. Learnto accept it; it makes life easier. Use my15-pace rule: Back up 15 paces, and ifyou can’t see the problem, it isn’t one.— Larry Hodgson,aka, The Lazy Gardener